Monday, November 21, 2005

Quotes of the Morning

“In February 2002, after a briefing on the status of the war in Afghanistan, the commanding officer, Gen. Tommy Franks, told me the war was being compromised as specialized personnel and equipment were being shifted from Afghanistan to prepare for the war in Iraq -- a war more than a year away. Even at this early date, the White House was signaling that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was of such urgency that it had priority over the crushing of al Qaeda.” -Bob Graham, November 20, 2005 “At a meeting of the Senate intelligence committee on Sept. 5, 2002, CIA Director George Tenet was asked what the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) provided as the rationale for a preemptive war in Iraq. An NIE is the product of the entire intelligence community, and its most comprehensive assessment. I was stunned when Tenet said that no NIE had been requested by the White House and none had been prepared. Invoking our rarely used senatorial authority, I directed the completion of an NIE. Tenet objected, saying that his people were too committed to other assignments to analyze Saddam Hussein's capabilities and will to use chemical, biological and possibly nuclear weapons. We insisted, and three weeks later the community produced a classified NIE.” -Bob Graham, November 20, 2005 “Under questioning, Tenet added that the information in the NIE had not been independently verified by an operative responsible to the United States. In fact, no such person was inside Iraq. Most of the alleged intelligence came from Iraqi exiles or third countries, all of which had an interest in the United States' removing Hussein, by force if necessary.” -Bob Graham, November 20, 2005

“Hmm.. Who could have wanted to invade Iraq so badly that they went through the motions half-arsed? Was it the kindly old homicidal maniac?” -Skippy

"We learn more and more that there was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda that stretched back through most of the decade of the '90s. That it involved training, for example, on [biological and chemical weapons], that Al Qaeda sent personnel to Baghdad to get trained on the systems." -Dick Cheney, October 3, 2004

“Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday the evidence is ‘overwhelming’ that al Qaeda had a relationship with Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, and he said media reports suggesting that the 9/11 commission has reached a contradictory conclusion were ‘irresponsible.’" -CNN, Friday, June 8, 2004

"I have not suggested there's a connection between Iraq and 9/11." -Dick Cheney, Vice-Presidential Debate, October 5, 2004

“No.. I’m pretty sure that this whole debacle can be laid at the feet of the Boy King.” -Skippy

"I'm the commander. See, I don't need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being the president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation." -George ‘Dubya’ Bush to Bob Woodward, in "Bush at War"

“And I’d have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for those darn kids.” -Scooby-Doo Show